LONDON — Boris Johnsons Brexit deal would prevent the U.K. from striking a trade agreement with the U.S., Donald Trump said.
Speaking to Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on LBC radio, the U.S. president said: “To be honest with you, this deal, under certain aspects of the deal, you cant do it. You cant trade. We cant make a trade deal with the U.K.”
Trump added that under the Brexit deal agreed between Boris Johnsons government and the EU, “under certain ways were precluded.” He said that was “completely ridiculous.”
“We want to do trade with U.K. and they want to do trade with us,” Trump said, suggesting that trade between the two countries “could be four to five times higher.”
“Youre being held back by the European Union,” the U.S. president said of the U.K. “Theyre very tough people to deal with.”
The U.S. president urged Farage and Johnson to strike an electoral pact.
The comments are reminiscent of July 2018, when Trump dealt Theresa May a severe blow when he said the then prime ministers Brexit strategy was likely to “kill” the chances of a trade deal with the U.S.
His comments to LBC now threaten to jeopardize Johnsons election campaign. The prime minister has promised to negotiate a free trade agreement with the U.S. after delivering Brexit.
Nevertheless, Trump lavished praise on Johnson, saying he was a “fantastic man” and “the exact right guy for the times.”
“Boris and I have a great friendship. Weve become friends,” he said. “When he was running, they were saying, hes the Trump, hes the Trump. We have a lot of the same things going.”
The U.S. president urged Farage and Johnson to strike an electoral pact. “Id like to see you and Boris get together cause you would really have some numbers because you did fantastically in the last election,” he told Farage. “If you and he get together its, you know, unstoppable force.”
Of opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Trump said: “Im sure hes a lovely man, but hes of a different persuasion, to put it mildly.” Corbyn would be “so bad for your country” and “take you into such bad places,” he said.
Corbyn responded on Twitter, saying that, “Donald Trump is trying to interfere in Britains election to get his friend Boris Johnson elected.”
Corbyn has claimed that Johnsons planned trade deal with Trump would give U.S. companies access to the National Health Service and drive up the price of drugs. “The U.S. has called for full market access to our NHS — which would mean prices for some of our most important medicines increasing up to sevenfold,” Corbyn said on Wednesday at prime ministers questions.
Asked about this by Farage, Trump said the suggestion was “ridiculous.” “We wouldnt even be involved in that. Were trying to fix our health service. We all have our health service problems,” he said, adding that Corbyn had “put that out there.”
Of May, Trump said: “I liked her very much” but added: “I did not agree with her on certain things … I told her exactly how to make the deal but she didnt listen to me, and thats okay.”
Asked whether Brexit or his reelection as president would happen first, Trump said Brexit, but added he was disappointed it had not happened yet. “People are tirRead More – Source
